Flatiron



2y i La?? lli May 14 1940- A. RoNNlNG 2,200,455

FLATIRON Filed May 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR AD OLP/1 PO/V/V//VG B f'lE-E- 1%/ 'AT ORNEY May 14 1940- A. RoNNlNG 2,200,455

FLATIRON Filed May 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR OL PH @GNN/NG ATTRNEY Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

considerable time is required to periodically stop thework and dampen the cloth.

Having in mind these facts, it is the primary object of my invention to provide an iron, for this purpose, which has assembled thereon a cloth which is arranged to pass back and forth beneath the iron and which is automatically, continuously, and 'evenly dampened byA dampening means on the iron. The iron, cloth, andv damp-v ening means thus operate as an integral unit, greatly speeding up the operation and assuring the user that'the cloth will be properly dampened at all times.

Another object is to provide an electric flatiron assembly embodying a heated shoe member and handle, and with the pressing cloth arranged as an endless belt running lengthwise over and beneath the iron so that the lower reach or portion of the belt will be moved back and forth by contact with the work as the iron is moved over the work.

Another object is to provide in an iron as described, a dampening means which is effective by said movement of the cloth belt to dampen the same continuously and evenly so that, as the iron is moved either forwardly or rearwardly, a

dampened stretch of the belt will be moved under the heated shoe to properly condition the goods being ironed and to prevent the goods from being scorched.

Another Objectis to provide an iron and dampening cloth assembly of this kind wherein the cloth is mounted over rollers arranged transversely at both front and rear ends of the iron, and which rollers are spring pressed in such manner as to maintain the cloth constantly in a taut condition beneath the iron and, further, to move the cloth away from the heated shoe when the iron is not in use. The latter action is especially necessary in order to prevent the cloth from being scorched, since the cloth is only dampened when the-iron is in use 'and the cloth is in motion. The rollers are, therefore, spring mounted in such fashion that they will normally spring downwardly and elevate the heated shoe from the cloth, but the springs are, of course, only just sufficient to thus raise the shoe so that, when the hand is placed on the iron and the iron put in motion, the shoe may be readily pressed to the work.

Another object is to provide an iron and pressing cloth apparatus of this kind in which the parts are assembled in a compact and integral form or unit, with a' water chamber formed in the body member of the iron for carrying ythe water used to moisten the cloth, and with the chamber well insulated from the heated shoe of the iron to thus prevent the water from steaming off or evaporating too rapidly.

Another object is to provide, as a modification, an iron and pressing c-loth assembly in which the cloth takes the form of a strip coiled at its ends around rollers carried bythe iron and which rollers are spring set in such manner that they will maintain the cloth in a taut condition along the bottom of the iron, but will permit the cloth to work back and forth beneath the rim as itis reciprocated over the goods. Here again the rollers and spring set to normally elevate the iron out of contact with the cloth, as previously described.

A further object is to provide, in a modified assembly as above, means for dampening the cloth adjacent each end to thus insure that the cloth will be adequately and evenly dampened at al1 times.

Still a further object is to provide an assembly as described wherein the water is carried in small receptacles which are supported immediately over the rollers and arranged to feed the water into the cloth by means of depending wicks. structure, of course, disposesi the water containers well clear of the heated portions of the iron, and for this reason, as well as due to the use of two containers, the containers may be very small and compact.

The foregoing and other objects, together with means whereby the same may be carried. into effect, will best be understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a preferred embodiment of my invention in which the cloth is arranged as an endless belt.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with a part of the belt This cut away and one roller shown partially exposed l and in diametrical section.

Fig, 3 is a front end view.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modied assembly in which the cloth is rolled at each end upon rollers and separate water containers are employed. v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan vew'of the frontal portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a similar plan View 'of a modified struct'ure in which asingle water chamber is used.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing the complete assembly employing a single water chamber as in Fig. 7.

Referring now with more particularity to the drawings, my invention as embodied in Fig. 1 through Fig. 4, comprises the body member A, the handle B, and the endless pressing or dampening cloth C. The body member A may be of any shape desired, and here is shown as having its frontal end l0 tapering to a point from its relatively wide rear or butt end The body member, whatever its shape, includes as its base member the bottom sole plate or shoe I2, provided with a smooth and flat lower working face I3. Mounted atop this shoe I2 is the housing member I4 which is held in place by screws I5 and, in this case, this housing member is hollowed out medially to provide a water chamber I6 separated from the shoe I2 by the intervening bottom wall |1 of the housing. VThe water chamber is further insulated and isolated from the shoe I2 by a layer I8 of heat insulation so that heat from the shoe will be prevented, at least to a large extent, from reaching the water and causing it to evaporate too quickly. The chamber I6 may be lled through an opening I9 which is formed out to one side of the housing member I4. A bracket 20 is also extended from this side of the housing and is turned inwardly to support the handle B centrally over the iron, and this arrangement, as will be readily evident, leaves the entire upper surface of the iron clear of any projecting parts whatever.

A conventional electrical heating unit 2|l is arranged in the shoe I2 and is connected by wires 22 to a switch 23 and plug receptacle 24 so that current may be carried through the usual cord and plug 25 to the heating unit under control of the switch. This switch may be of any conventional type, and the usual automatic heat control may also be used, if desired.

The dampening cloth C is, as stated, in the form of an endless cloth belt device and is supported on front and rear rollers 26 and 21 axised transversely with respect to the iron A. These rollers each comprise several units or separate pieces, and are journaled on axles 28 which are supported in the eyes 29 of spring arms 30 and 3| extended toward, and engaged with, the front and rear ends respectively ofthe housing member I4. The frontal arms 30 are inserted at their rear ends into bores 32 formed in the housing' member (isolated from chamber I6) and are locked in any endwise adjusted position by the set screws 33. The rear arms 3| are slidably inserted at their frontal ends through plugs 34 which are screwed into recesses 35 'formed in the rear end of the housing member I4 (also isolated [from the chamber I6), and the ends of these arms have heads 36 which bear against expansion coil springs 31 placed in the recesses as shown. These springs 31 thus serve tonormally urge the arms 3| rearwardly, increasing the distance between the rollers 26 and 21 to maintain the cloth belt C in a taut condition. Adjustments of the position of the frontal arms 30 may be made by means of the set screws 33 to thus adjust the spring tension on the cloth.

The rollers 26 and 21 are thus so positionedv and supported in front of, and behind, the iron A that the cloth belt C4 will enclose the upper and lower sides of the iron. One reach or portion 38 of the belt thus passes over the top of the iron, and the other, 39, passes beneath the flat working face I3 of the shoe I2, and the width of the belt is slightly greater than that of the iron to fully cover the iron as shown.

A slot 40 is cut transversely in the upper side of the housing member I4 in communication with the water chamber I 6, and a dampening roller 4I is journaled on a transversely extended axle 42 in the chamber so that the upper arcuate portion of the periphery of the-roller will project through the slot. The roller and slot are located just forwardly of the handle bracket 20, at substantially a medial point of the upper reach 38 olf the cloth C, and the cloth is pressed downwardly against the exposed periphery of the roller 4| by an idler roller 43 which is disposed above the cloth and is urged downwardly by arms 44. These ,arms 44 are anchored at 45 in transversely extended studs 46 fixed to the bracket A 20, and at their forward ends are formed into eyes 41 which receivethe axle 48 of the roller 43. The arms 44 are furthermore formed of spring material and are tensioned to normally urge the roller 43 downwardly against the clothv C.

In operation, the iron is moved back and forth over the goods or the work in the usual manner,

but this action, in addition to exerting a pressing Aforce and effect on the work, also causes a frictional engagement between the cloth C and the work. This results in a reciprocating motion of the lower portion 39 of the cloth C, causing it to roll back and forth over the rollers 26 and 21 and, depending on the length of the stroke of the iron, causing the cloth to make one or more complete revolutions around the rollers, as will be understood. As the cloth moves it rotates the dampening roller 4|, and this roller, operating in the water chamber I6, picks up water therefrom and applies it evenly and continually to the clothes it moves. No matter in which direction the iron is moved, therefore, the moistened portions of the cloth will be constantly moved under the shoe I2 and between that shoe and the work so that the proper pressing eil'ect is obtained without any attention on the part of the operator.

While the iron is in use the cloth C is, of course, pressed against the working face of the shoe I2 but, when the iron is not in use and the cloth is not moving, it is necessary to move the cloth away from the shoe. Otherwise the cloth would be scorched very quickly since ,the cloth is actually only moistened when in motion. For this purpose I make the arms 30 and 3| out of spring material and tension them to normally urge the rollers 26 and 21 downwardly to the position shown inFig. I in dotted lines. This action elevates the shoe I2 from the cloth as r clearly shown, and the arms 30 and 3| are so proportioned, and are of such strength, that they will just raise the iron when the hand is removed and then, when the handle B is grasped, the iron of an elongated strip rolled or coiled at its ends around rollers 26 and 21 so that the free stretch or reach 39a of the strip passes beneath the working face of the shoe I2. By this arrangement the top of the iron may be clear for the usual mounting of the handle B' from the bracket 20. The rollers 26 and 21 are, in this case, each u vbottom of the working face of the shoe member provided with a well known form of spiral-spring, asindicated at 49 in Fig. 8, to keep the cloth stretched tautly across the shoe I2 but to permit the Icloth to roll up on .one roller while it unrolls from the other in the back and forth movements of the iron.

The rollers 26 and 21 are supported from the housing member I4 of the iron by carrierxarms 50 and 5I which are pivotally mounted at 52 alongside the front and rear ends, respectively, of the member I4. The frontal arms 50 extend forwardly and carry the axle 28 of the roller 25 while the rear arms 5I extend rearwardly and similarly carry the axle 28 of the rear roller 21. Torsional coil springs 53 are coiled around the screws which form the pivotal connections 52, and the opposite ends of these springs engage the arms 50 and 5I at 54 and are secured to studs 55 in the sides of the member Il in such manner that the rollers 26 and 21 are normally urged downwardly to move the cloth C' away from the shoe I2 and elevate the iron, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. This downward movement is limited by engagement of stop fingers 56, formedon the arms 50 and 5I, with the studs 55, as will be clearly evident.

In Figs. 5jand 6 the arms 50 and 5I have upwardly turned ends lor extensions 51 on their outer ends, and small water tanks or receptacles 58 are supported between these ends immediately over each roller26 and 21 and parallel therewith.

These tanks thus provide water chambers into l which water may be introduced through the removable plugs 59, and the water is fed to the clock C' by wicks 60 which depend 4from the tanks (in communication with the interior thereof) and engage across the width of the cloth as wound on the rollers. The cloth is thus constantly dampened at each end and, as the cloth l ,i moves back and forth and unrolls and rerolls on the rollers, these dampened portions of the cloth will be moved beneath the iron.

In Figs. '7 and 8 the housing member I4 has the water chamber I6 formed therein, as previously described, and provided with the iiller plug 5I. Wicks 62 are immersed in the water in the chamber and extend outwardly and downwardly at each end therefrom (through suitable passages 63) to engage the cloth C across its entire width between the rollers 26 and 21 and the shoe I2. In this case the cloth is dampened immediateiy adjacent the shoe, and the iron may be used with'very short strokes.

It is understood that I may vary from the structur'e as herein described, provided that such variations* fall within the scope of the appended claims. Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.. A atiron assembly including a heated working face, a pressing cloth adapted to cover the working face, rollers movably supporting the the cloth, and means for dampening the said cloth.

4. In combination with an iron, rollers supported horizontally at the front and rear ends of the iron, an endless cloth belt trained over the rollers and stretched across the upper and lower faces of the iron for movement thereover in 'response to movement of the iron over the goods,4 the said rollers being yieldably urged apart for stretching theoloth belt in a taut condition, and means to moisten the cloth belt.

5. In combination with a flatiron having a working face, springarms extended endwise from the ends of the iron, rollers journaled on the arms, a cloth belt trained over the rollers, and movably extended lengthwise over the' working face of the iron, means for dampening the cloth belt, and the said arms being tensioned to normally move the said rollers downwardly to thereby elevate the working face of the iron clear of the cloth belt.

6. In combination with a fiatiron including a body member and pressing face, rollers supported at the ends of the body member, a cloth strip coiled at its ends on the rollers and passing between the rollers beneath the pressing-face of 'the iron for reciprocating movement thereon in between the free ends of the arms, and a cloth belt trained over the roller and supported thereby across the pressing face of the arms.

8. The combnationvwith a fiatiron having a pressing face, of spring arms extended endwise from the iron and resiliently urged downwardly at their free ends, rollersjournaled transversely between the free ends of the arms, and a'cloth belt trained over the rollers and supported thereat their free ends, rollers journaled transversely by across the pressing face of the iron, at least a part of the said arms being spring pressed to normally move endwise from the iron and 'thereby retain the belt in a taut condition between the rollers.

' 9. The combination with a viiatiron including a pressing face, of carrier arms pivotally supported on the iron and extended endwise therefrom for vertical .movement at theirfree front and rear ends, rollers journaled on the arms at their free ends, a cloth belt trained over the rollers and across the pressing face ofthe iron, and spring means operativelyassociated with said iron and said arms and normally and yieldably urging the free ends of the arms in a downward direction. 

